American Toby Jug Museum 

Tam o'Shanter character jug produced by Cooper Clayton in Hanley, England, circa 1950. "Tam o'Shanter" was written by Robert Burns in 1790. The plot is genuine folklore and is Burns' most sustained single poetic effort. The opening of the poem finds Tam drinking happily at a typical Scottish inn, letting the hours slip by and ignoring his waiting wife at home. During the witching hours, Tam stumbles out of the pub, mounts his mare, Maggie, and heads toward home. Riding through the storm with the devil at his back, Tam approaches the haunted Kirk-Alloway, where he hears merriment and dancing coming from within. Tam stops and witnesses a variety of supernatural scenes, raising terror in the poor Scot. Three witches rise to attack Tam, causing him to flee for home. The witches pursue Tam until he and his mare gain the bridge, and safety, for witches cannot cross running water. One witch, pressing close behind, removed poor Maggie's tail as a reminder of his harrowing escape. A Scottish highland thistle forms the handle of the jug.